Patents by Inventor Brian A. Hargreaves

Brian A. Hargreaves has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11896360
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating thin slice images from thick slice images are disclosed herein. In some examples, a deep learning system may calculate a residual from a thick slice image and add the residual to the thick slice image to generate a thin slice image. In some examples, the deep learning system includes a neural network. In some examples, the neural network may include one or more levels, where one or more of the levels include one or more blocks. In some examples, each level includes a convolution block and a non-linear activation function block. The levels of the neural network may be in a cascaded arrangement in some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: LVIS Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongnan Fang, Akshay S. Chaudhari, Jin Hyung Lee, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 11313933
    Abstract: A diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method acquires MRI scan data from a multi-direction, multi-shot, diffusion-weighted MRI scan, and jointly reconstructs from the MRI scan data 1) magnitude images for multiple diffusion-encoding directions and 2) phase images for multiple shots and multiple diffusion-encoding directions using an iterative reconstruction method. Each iteration of the iterative reconstruction method comprises a gradient calculation, a phase update to update the phase images, and a magnitude update to update the magnitude images. Each iteration minimizes a cost function comprising a locally low-rank (LLR) regularization constraint on the magnitude images from the multiple diffusion-encoding directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Brian A. Hargreaves, Yuxin Hu
  • Patent number: 11308661
    Abstract: Multi-shot diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging acquires multiple k-space segments of diffusion-weighted MRI data, estimates reconstructed multi-shot diffusion weighted images, and combines the estimated images to obtain a final reconstructed MRI image. The estimation of images iteratively calculates updated multi-shot images from the multiple k-space segments and current multi-shot images using a convex model without estimating motion-induced phase, constructs multiple locally low-rank spatial-shot matrices from the updated multi-shot images, and calculates current multi-shot images from spatial-shot matrices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Bruce L. Daniel, Brian A. Hargreaves, Yuxin Hu, Evan G. Levine
  • Patent number: 11125844
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging reconstructs images that have reduced under-sampling artifacts from highly accelerated multi-spectral imaging acquisitions. The method includes performing by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus an accelerated multi-spectral imaging (MSI) acquisition within a field of view of the MRI apparatus, where the sampling trajectories of different spectral bins in the acquisition are different; and reconstructing bin images using neural network priors learned from training data as regularization to reduce under-sampling artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Xinwei Shi, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10901059
    Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance imaging performs a scan by a magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire k-space data; applies the k-space data as input to an unrolled convolutional neural network comprising multiple iterations, and generates reconstructed images from the output of the unrolled convolutional neural network by combining images from different shots. Each iteration of the unrolled network performs a first gradient update, applies the result to a first U-net in k-space, performs a second gradient update, and applies a second U-net in image space. The first gradient update and the second gradient update are based on a theoretical gradient from a physical measurement model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yuxin Hu, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Publication number: 20200397334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating thin slice images from thick slice images are disclosed herein. In some examples, a deep learning system may calculate a residual from a thick slice image and add the residual to the thick slice image to generate a thin slice image. In some examples, the deep learning system includes a neural network. In some examples, the neural network may include one or more levels, where one or more of the levels include one or more blocks. In some examples, each level includes a convolution block and a non-linear activation function block. The levels of the neural network may be in a cascaded arrangement in some examples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Zhongnan Fang, Akshay S. Chaudhari, Jin Hyung Lee, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Publication number: 20200300956
    Abstract: A diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method acquires MRI scan data from a multi-direction, multi-shot, diffusion-weighted MRI scan, and jointly reconstructs from the MRI scan data 1) magnitude images for multiple diffusion-encoding directions and 2) phase images for multiple shots and multiple diffusion-encoding directions using an iterative reconstruction method. Each iteration of the iterative reconstruction method comprises a gradient calculation, a phase update to update the phase images, and a magnitude update to update the magnitude images. Each iteration minimizes a cost function comprising a locally low-rank (LLR) regularization constraint on the magnitude images from the multiple diffusion-encoding directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Brian A. Hargreaves, Yuxin Hu
  • Patent number: 10775463
    Abstract: A method for providing an estimated 3D T2 map for magnetic resonance imaging using a Double-Echo Steady-State (DESS) sequence for a volume of an object in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. A DESS scan of the volume is provided by the MRI system. Signals S1 and S2 are acquired by the MRI system. Signals S1 and S2 are used to provide a T2 map for a plurality of slices of the volume, comprising determining repetition time (TR), echo time (TE), flip angle ?, and an estimate of the longitudinal relaxation time (T1), and wherein the DESS scan has a spoiler gradient with an amplitude G and a duration ? and ignoring echo pathways having spent more than two repetition times in the transverse plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Brian A. Hargreaves, Bragi Sveinsson
  • Patent number: 10768261
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging suppresses off-resonance gradient-induced image artifacts due to metal. The method includes performing by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus two multi-spectral imaging (MSI) acquisitions within a field of view of the MRI apparatus, where the two MSI acquisitions have alternating-sign readout gradients. The two MSI acquisitions are then processed and combined by the MRI apparatus using a weighted image combination to produce a final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Xinwei Shi, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10725133
    Abstract: A method for generating a magnetic resonance image of an object in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, wherein the object contains at least one metallic implant is provided. The MRI system provides multiple excitations of at least part of the object. The MRI system reads out image signals from the object. The MRI system saves the readout image signals as image data. A field-map is generated from the image data using a goodness-of-fit process which uses a goodness-of-fit metric, matched-filter, and/or similar fitting techniques to fit expected signals from each excitation to the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Brady J. Quist, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10684344
    Abstract: Improved motion correction for magnetic resonance imaging is provided. An MR imaging method provides a first sequence of MR images and a second sequence of MR images where: 1) the two sequences are inherently spatially co-registered and synchronous with each other; 2) the first sequence includes signal variation due to one or more causes other than motion or deformation; and 3) the second sequence does not include the signal variation of the first sequence. In this situation, the second sequence can be used to perform motion correction for the first sequence. One example of this approach is Dixon MR imaging, where the water images are the first sequence and the fat images are the second sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Bruce L. Daniel, Brian A. Hargreaves, Subashini Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20200011951
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging reconstructs images that have reduced under-sampling artifacts from highly accelerated multi-spectral imaging acquisitions. The method includes performing by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus an accelerated multi-spectral imaging (MSI) acquisition within a field of view of the MRI apparatus, where the sampling trajectories of different spectral bins in the acquisition are different; and reconstructing bin images using neural network priors learned from training data as regularization to reduce under-sampling artifacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Xinwei Shi, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10520573
    Abstract: A method for performing wave-encoded magnetic resonance imaging of an object is provided. The method includes applying one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients to the object, and acquiring MR signals from the object. The method further includes calibrating a wave point-spread function, and reconstructing an image from the MR signals based at least in part on the calibrated wave point-spread function. Calibration of the wave point-spread function is based at least in part on one or more intermediate images generated from the MR signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Feiyu Chen, Tao Zhang, Joseph Y. Cheng, Valentina Taviani, Brian Hargreaves, John Pauly, Shreyas Vasanawala
  • Publication number: 20190355157
    Abstract: Multi-shot diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging acquires multiple k-space segments of diffusion-weighted MRI data, estimates reconstructed multi-shot diffusion weighted images, and combines the estimated images to obtain a final reconstructed MRI image. The estimation of images iteratively calculates updated multi-shot images from the multiple k-space segments and current multi-shot images using a convex model without estimating motion-induced phase, constructs multiple locally low-rank spatial-shot matrices from the updated multi-shot images, and calculates current multi-shot images from spatial-shot matrices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Bruce L. Daniel, Brian A. Hargreaves, Yuxin Hu, Evan G. Levine
  • Patent number: 10369385
    Abstract: A method for providing at least one measurement by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system of a tissue property or underlying tissue property in a region sufficiently close to a metal object, so that the metal object induces artifacts is provided. At least one magnetic resonance imaging signal from the region is acquired through the MRI system. The acquired at least one MRI signal is processed to correct for artifacts induced by the metal object. At least one tissue property or underlying tissue property measurement is extracted from the processed at least one MRI signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Hans Weber, Daehyun Yoon, Valentina Taviani, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10139459
    Abstract: A method using 2D multi-spectral imaging (2DMSI) for MRI imaging of a metallic object (such as a biopsy needle) and region surrounding the metallic object within an imaging field of view of an MRI apparatus includes segmenting the imaging field-of-view into spatial-spectral bins, where the segmenting is based on off-resonance frequency induced by the metallic object and slice location; selectively exciting each frequency bin of the spatial-spectral bins by inverting a slice selection gradient between excitation and refocusing pulses; performing repeated acquisition with different radiofrequency modulations to produce acquired images of adjacent bins; composing a 2DMSI image by root-sum-of-squares combination of the acquired images of adjacent bins; and highlighting in the 2DMSI image an area of furthest off-resonance bins based on 2DMSI off-resonance information by thresholding image intensity in frequency bins, thereby indicating a contour of the metallic object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Hans Weber, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Patent number: 10114099
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging is provided that includes using a magnetic resonance imaging system to excite a field of view (FOV) for a target being imaged, using an excitation plan to limit the excited FOV to a relatively narrow band of magnetization, exciting multiple bands of magnetization simultaneously, applying phase encoding along a shortest FOV dimension, acquiring a signal from said simultaneously excited bands of magnetization, and reconstructing and outputting a target image from the acquired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, General Electric Company
    Inventors: Valentina Taviani, Brian A. Hargreaves, Bruce L Daniel, Shreyas S Vasanawala, Suchandrima Banerjee
  • Patent number: 10101424
    Abstract: Accelerated 3D multispectral imaging (MSI) on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system uses phase-encoding in two dimensions and frequency-encoding in the third.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Evan G. Levine, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Publication number: 20180284201
    Abstract: A method using 2D multi-spectral imaging (2DMSI) for MRI imaging of a metallic object (such as a biopsy needle) and region surrounding the metallic object within an imaging field of view of an MRI apparatus includes segmenting the imaging field-of-view into spatial-spectral bins, where the segmenting is based on off-resonance frequency induced by the metallic object and slice location; selectively exciting each frequency bin of the spatial-spectral bins by inverting a slice selection gradient between excitation and refocusing pulses; performing repeated acquisition with different radiofrequency modulations to produce acquired images of adjacent bins; composing a 2DMSI image by root-sum-of-squares combination of the acquired images of adjacent bins; and highlighting in the 2DMSI image an area of furthest off-resonance bins based on 2DMSI off-resonance information by thresholding image intensity in frequency bins, thereby indicating a contour of the metallic object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Hans Weber, Brian A. Hargreaves
  • Publication number: 20180267126
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging suppresses off-resonance gradient-induced image artifacts due to metal. The method includes performing by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus two multi-spectral imaging (MSI) acquisitions within a field of view of the MRI apparatus, where the two MSI acquisitions have alternating-sign readout gradients. The two MSI acquisitions are then processed and combined by the MRI apparatus using a weighted image combination to produce a final image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Xinwei Shi, Brian A. Hargreaves